Association of single nucleotide polymorphisms in the nuclear respiratory factor-2 beta subunit-encoding GABPB1 gene with the occupational environment

GABPB1, known as nuclear respiratory factor 2 (Nrf2), activates the mitochondrial genes that are responsible for antioxidant action and detoxification. Two single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of GABPB1, such as rs7181866 and rs8031031, were reported to be associated with the prevention of the increasing cancer risk caused by environmental deterioration. Between March 1 and May 1, 2018, human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from a cohort of 300 volunteers working in adverse occupational environments were genotyped for the two SNPs in the present study. The SNP rs7181866 was found to be significantly greater in the male group than in the female group. Frequencies of SNP rs7181866 and bi-allele SNPs (rs7181866 + rs8031031) were significantly different between the <35-year-old group and the >= 35-year-old group. Further, multinomial logistic regression analysis of the occupational environments revealed the highest predictive frequency of SNPs for four environmental factors, of which chemical factors accounted for 15.33% rs7181866, physical factors accounted for 34.79% rs7181866 + rs8031031, physical + chemical factors accounted for 39.5% rs8031031, and unknown factors accounted for 26.5% rs7181866 + rs8031031. In conclusion, the G allele of rs7181866 was found to be significantly more susceptible than the rs8031031 allele under adverse occupational environmental factors, and physical factors such as noise, which appear to play vital roles in causing SNP mutations.